2 Timothy 1:6 - For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.
Fan
It’s hot in the summer. The only fan we should be talking about is the fan keeping us cool. Let’s talk about fanning the flame, though.
I’m not that much of an outdoorsman, but I do know that when you start a fire, it has to be fed, it has to be stoked and fanned, otherwise the flame goes out. That’s what Paul tell Timothy to do.
We can go back to the Old Testament for an example of fanning the flame and keeping it ablaze. In Genesis 45, Jacob learns that his son, Joseph, is actually alive and not dead like he was led to believe. Not only was he alive, but Joseph was a ruler of Egypt. Joseph sent carts of food and supplies to Jacob and his family in the middle of a drought. And Genesis 45:27 says that when Jacob heard all this and realized Joseph was alive, that his spirit was revived.
That which was promised to him that he thought was dead, was revived and renewed - it was set ablaze again!
When Paul tells Timothy to keep that flame ablaze, he’s really saying, remember the promise, stay in the promise, live in the reality and newness of the Spirit of God.
It’s when we get distracted, bombarded, stressed, and pulled away from the promises of God’s Word to everything else, that the flame starts to go out.
Don’t let the flame go out. Feed it. Fan it. Let it burn by staying in there and paying attention to it. Don’t forget about God’s Word and promises. Don’t let go of it or believe the lie that its dead or it doesn’t matter.